If you know where to hike in Missoula, Montana, you’ll occasionally find yourself standing over several markers which indicate the high-water level of what was one Glacial Lake Missoula. Standing on top of Missoula’s peaks, it’s hard to imagine that once upon a time you would be standing on an island and everything you see below used to be underwater, but it’s true. Glacial Lake Missoula was a prehistoric lake at existed periodically at the end of the last ice age and held approximately half the volume of Lake Michigan.
Where am I going with this, you ask? On numerous occasions throughout the years, the ice dam responsible for creating the lake failed. The resulting floods - known most commonly as the Missoula Floods, are responsible for much of the Columbia River Gorge we see today. Historians and scientists estimate that over the course of 2,000 years, cataclysmic floods swept over Idaho, Washington and Oregon at least 40 times.
I found it particularly fascinating to hear about the floods. I had previously known that Glacial Lake Missoula once existed but (call me crazy), I had always assumed it disappeared through a much more normal means: evaporation.
As we sailed up the Columbia River, our guides would point to narrow canyons and jagged rock formations and remind us that such features were formed by a rush and wall of water so great that rock was quite literally carved away. Though the sight would have been terrible to behold (not that you would have beheld it for long), the ending result is truly GORGE-ous (yes, I went there).
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.